AWP urges civil society to step up against privatisation, rising extremism.
The Awami Workers Party (AWP) will launch a country-wide protest campaign for land reforms and against privatisation of public sector units and the rising terrorism and sectarian violence.
In a statement issued on Tuesday after the party’s federal committee meeting in Rawalpindi, AWP said it will organise a multiparty conference on privatisation this month.
This meeting was presided by AWP President Abid Hassan Minto, Chairman Fanoos Gujjar and General-Secretary Farooq Tariq and was attended by committee members from all over the country. The meeting urged the country’s democratic and progressive to unite and launch a campaign to counter the present dire situation.
AWP stated that the present government, like its predecessors, is toeing the policies of international financial institutions and has mortgaged the country to the lending agencies.
The party’s statement further said an unjustified burden of unreasonable taxes and uncontrolled inflation has been imposed on the public. “Private and public lands are being sold to multinational companies in the name of corporate farming”.
Moreover, the statement said a free hand has been given to extremist religious forces to promote sectarian hatred, adding that negotiation with the Taliban is tantamount to condoning Talibanisation of the country. “Target killing of political workers in Balochistan and Sindh has become a routine affair and thousands of political workers are missing”.
In such circumstances peace and prosperity in this country is not possible, it stated.
Through various resolutions, AWP demanded the removal of all hate material from the curriculum in order to end religious extremism and rising sectarian violence.
Moreover, the party stated that all missing persons in the custody of various state agencies be released immediately and expressed concern over the Pakistan Protection Ordinance, fearing “that it will be misused to victimise members of trade unions and political activists”.
The meeting also decided that the AWP congress will be held on March 29, 2014 and that the party will participate in the upcoming local bodies elections with the name of Awami Mahaz (People’s Front).
Published in The Express Tribune, December 4th, 2013.
COMMENTS
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ